


That Time I Broke Time-Traveling Rules

by CoupDeGrace321



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29825472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoupDeGrace321/pseuds/CoupDeGrace321
Summary: Yeah, I might have messed up big time on this one - Percy Jackson
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	That Time I Broke Time-Traveling Rules

I’m not proud to admit it, but I kind of broke the multiverse.

If the Fates ever ask if you want to go back in time to fix some mistakes you might have made, tell them straight up … no. I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. I should’ve let bygones be bygones. I simply wished that I could go back in time to stop Jason Grace from going with Lester … or Apollo, or whatever the hell he is. My poor friend ended being stabbed through his back, quite literally, I’m afraid. And that was something I didn't even find out until several months after he died. Poor Piper’s been having a meltdown these last few days.

Anyways, it was just little something I uttered, wishing that it had been me who had gone instead. I mean, I could’ve helped. Apollo came to me for help and I outright refused, saying that I wanted some time to by myself, to just relax and not worry about threatening-to-end-the-world events. And because of that, I just feel felt like maybe that’s what pushed Jason to go.

But the goddamn Fates actually granted my wish … except not really. Had they sent me back to when Apollo came to my home, seeking help, I knew exactly what I would have done.

Instead they sent me _waaaay_ back in time. All the way to that fateful day of the field trip.

So, here I was again … on the school bus … going through that field trip that started it all, sitting next to Grover Underwood. I was back in the shell that I used to be when I was 12, confused as hell. Man, Grover is looking at me really weird right now, I should probably say something.

What do I even say? I was just sent here with no instructions. I didn’t ask to be sent _this_ far into the past. Am I supposed to go through all of this again? Like hell I’m about to let that happen.

What the hell, Fates!

“Hey, are you alright?”

I blinked, realizing that Grover was speaking to me. “Uh … yeah.”

“Okay,” Grover replied. “You just … look out of it.”

“I’m fine,” I assured.

I know you’re wondering “Percy, you just said you broke the multiverse, can we get to that please?” Patience, if I’m gonna tell you how I broke the multiverse, I also need to explain _how_ I did exactly that. Wouldn’t want you to just dive in to my story of meeting alternate versions of myself without knowing the backstory, would I now?

Oh yeah, I totally meet alternate versions of myself. It was both frightening and kind of cool. And it was the result of me breaching several rules of time-traveling. But that's a story for later.

You know when they say, don’t change the past when you time travel? Yeah, well, you should probably listen to that shit very carefully. Because that’s exactly what I did in this new timeline. I mean, luckily, I didn’t change the present. I know a lot movies might depict that, but truth be told, changing the past doesn’t change the future.

But you do mess up a few alternate realities.

Oh, that’s the sound! Right there, that’s the sound of alternate realities crashing into one another.

Oh, wait … nevermind, that’s just the sound of Nancy Bobofit throwing her sandwich at Grover. It’s like what CJ from San Andreas said.

_Ah shit, here we go again._

I stand up and Grover pulls me back down.

“You’re on probation,” he warns me. “You know who’ll get blamed if anything happens.”

Yeah, I don’t need the reminder, Grover. As a matter of fact, I didn’t want to do this at all because this whole thing was one big reminder of what I went through.

Unfortunately, I was here. Might as well do something about it, right? Maybe bend the time-traveling rules a little bit, force the Fates to take me back?

How well that turned out.

As boring as it was, I sat through the bus ride until we reached the Metropolitan Museum of Arts. I make my way inside the museum with the rest of the class and just like last time, Chiron is giving us the tour … wait, my bad, _Mr. Brunner_. I'll have to remember that in case I instinctively call him Chiron out of reflex.

This time I don’t shush Nancy, simply because I don’t give enough of a shit. I know 12-year-old me used to get angry at bullies but 18-year old me, which is me right now, can literally scare bullies into putting _themselves_ in trash cans. That’s how good I’ve perfected my wolf stare.

Thanks for the tip, Lupa.

I glance to the side and I see Nancy giggling at the statue of a naked man and then she glances at me before quickly looking away. I remember there was this theory I read one time that girls, especially young girls tended to bully the guys they like. I didn’t think there was any truth to it at first, but when I think about how Nancy used to treat me, I thought maybe that was the case.

Gross.

Almost as gross as the picture depicting Kronos eating his children.

“Now, who can tell me what this painting represents?” Chiron says to the class.

I put on my bored face, trying my best to look uninterested. I already know what that picture means but I’m hoping to save myself the trouble of explaining it. The universe works in mysterious ways, though. Chiron ended up looking at me.

Maybe looking bored wasn’t a good idea.

“Mr. Jackson! How about you?” Chiron calls.

“What about me?” I ask.

“Can you explain what this picture represents?” Chiron asks, pointing to the picture.

I roll my eyes and sigh. “It’s a picture of Kronos eating all of his children, except he didn’t eat Zeus. Zeus’s mama tricked Kronos into eating a rock instead. See, Kronos didn’t trust his children, because they were prophesied to dethrone him one day. But Zeus grew up in some remote island and became Kronos’s wine servant, serving him a disgusting drink that made Kronos throw up Zeus’s siblings. Then they fought Kronos and won.”

Again, Nancy asks why did this matter and Chiron asks me to answer Nancy’s question of why it mattered. Now, I _could_ really go into detail of why it mattered, but I’d be dealing with several kids looking at me like I’m an alien. Might even get myself thrown into a mental hospital. But I still _do_ have an answer.

“There’s a life lesson to be taken here,” I say. “You might not ever encounter a power-hungry Titan, but it teaches that … whatever happens, it happens. Try as you might to … avoid a fate, but there’s nothing you can do about it. Events _will_ come to pass.”

Everyone looked confused, which makes me sigh. “Have you guys ever watched _Final Destination_?”

Several “oh-s” and “I get it-s” are murmured amongst the crowd as they nodded in understanding. Even Chiron nodded, looking a little impressed. It was ironic, really, since the sole purpose of me being here was to essentially, like … change what was going to happen.

Chiron dismisses everyone but once again calls for me to stay. I smile to Grover and nod for him to go on without me. Chiron smiled warmly at me. “Mr. Jackson?”

“Yeah, C- I mean, Mr. Brunner?”

Shit, I almost blew it there. Come on, Percy. Remember, it’s _Mr. Brunner_.

“I just wanted to say that I’m impressed by your work ethic. Seems like you’ve really done your homework for my class. What exactly has peaked your interest in my class?”

I shrugged. “Maybe I just know more than you think.”

And then I walk away, leaving Chiron looking mildly confused, a mysterious tension in the air.

Okay, I’ll admit that was a bit dramatic. But honestly … I thought it was a cool exit.

Events due to come to pass don’t they? I walk to my best friend and despite me not saying anything, he still asks for my apple. How funny is that.

And just on cue, Nancy Bobofit dumps her lunch on Grover. I don’t even flinch, with a simple flick of two fingers, I have the fountain water forming a hand and pulling Nancy into it. Grover looks utterly shocked and I smile at him.

Oh yeah, baby. I’m changing up the future now.

As expected, Mrs. Dodds, or Alecto comes to Nancy’s rescue as she sputters and swears at me.

“Honey, come with me,” she says in that nasally voice after helping Nancy up on her feet.

“Sure,” I say with a smile.

“Wait,” Grover interjects.

“Grover, stop,” I say to him. “I got this.”

I wink at him, which confuses him all the more. Alecto tells me to follow her but I decide to make a quick pit stop before I follow her inside the museum.

“Hey, Mr. Brunner, can I borrow a pen?”

Chiron looks up distractedly from his book as I lean over with a raised eyebrow. Chiron’s brows furrow. “Pen? What do you need a pen for?”

“I need to er, … write something off real quick,” I explain mysteriously.

It takes a while, but if I know Chiron, he’s a smart guy. Last time around, he claimed that I needed to mature more in order to be brought to camp.

I ain’t that kid now.

Chiron took the hint, thank the gods. He seemed to realize that not only did I know more that he thought, but I knew who _he_ was. Chiron takes out the pen from his shirt pocket and holds it for me.

I smile as I hold the familiar pen and stare at it. “Thanks. It’s a nice pen.” I look back at Chiron. “I wish I could have one like this.”

Chiron raised an eyebrow, but doesn’t say anything. He knew much as well this wasn’t the right place to start questioning what I knew.

I slip Riptide into my pocket and head inside.

“You’ve been giving us problems, hon-“

“I’m just gonna upfront and tell you I know why you’re here,” I interrupted. I know, it was impulsive of me to do, but I was kind of feeling myself. “You think I stole the Helm of Darkness. Well, I didn’t. Nor did I steal the bolt, for that matter.”

Alecto blinked. “You ... didn’t?”

“No,” I replied. “I know Hades might think I did, but how could I? I wasn’t even aware I was a demigod. So, no, I’m not the thief.”

“If you were not aware, how come you are aware now?” Alecto interrogated.

I grimace. “Oh ... that’s a long story, involving the Fates and time-travel and … other stuff.”

“YOU SPEW LIES!”

“I’m telling the truth,” I proclaim. “I _do_ actually come from the future.”

“LIES!!!”

Alecto attacked me and I sighed before uncapping Riptide. For a brief second, I thought it wasn’t the right pen. That would have painted a funny picture of me standing around stupidly with a regular ballpoint pen in my hand while Alecto attacked me.

Thank the gods, Chiron knew what I was talking about. The pen elongated into the familiar three-foot-long glowing bronze sword that I know and love. Just as Alecto neared me, I swipe in front of me, looking as composed as someone with years of sword training did as Alecto screamed and turned into orange fairy dust before me.

With business done here, I head back outside, where Chiron and Grover are waiting for me with arms crossed.

“We need to talk.” Chiron looks around the museum before looking back at me. “But not here. Meet me and Grover in my office when we get back.”


End file.
